Insole.



lar shoe of which it is UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NICHOLAS C. BOER, OI? BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MNUFACTURERS MACHINE COMPANY, OI" MONTO LAIR,

NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

' INSOLE..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 4, 1908.

.ippica-0n and caoba 22.1906. saisi it.. 339.904.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, N rcnoLiis Boi-1R, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Insoles, of scription, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention aims and improved reinforced insole forboots and shoes.

The be best understood from a description of one embodiment thereof, illustrated in the accom paiiyin g drawing.

Referring to the' drawing, the several ligures, numbered l to 5 inclusive, illustrate cross sections of a sole made in accordance with niy invention, in different stages of completion.

Referring to thc drawing, in the enibodiment of the invention selected for illustration herein and there shown, Figure 1 is a cross section of an ordinarydied or rounded sole.

This may be of any usual material, com- 'monly of leather, and of a quality and weight or thickness such as makes it desirable to reinforce it by applying thereto a fabric or other layer or piece of reinforcing material.

This sole will be of the desired outline for the particular style or shape of shoe of which it is to become a part.

In practicing this invention, itis preferred to channel this sole, from its upper or inner face downwardly and outwardly towards the periphery as at l, said channel commonly ollowing the marginal outline of the sole and suitably distant within said margin, said channel preferably being farther removed from the margin along the narrower: shank portion of the sole than around the forepart thereof, as is common with insoles whether reinforced or not.

he particular depth and curve or shape of this channel 1 and its angle or Obliquity may be such as best fit it for the particu; to become a part, and

which the following del to provide a novelv various features of the nveiition will4 also to suitit to the 'reinforcement to be applied thereto and the machine in connection with which it is to be used in welting.

The marginal edge portionthereof which is channeled and at the saine side as the channel is preferably' chamfered, beveled or feather edged, as at 2, the bevel being such as to leave the margin of the desired thickness to best adapt 1t for practical use in a boot or slioe. Preferably this bevel will be such as to bring said marginal edge always to a uniform thickness, irrespective of the possible varying thickness of the sole blank itself. This bevel is preferably such as to leave a considerable portion of the upper face of the marginal portion of the sole next the lip and near the base thereof when it is upturiied, uncut and with its natural flesh or commercial face. This channel flap, which is here marked 3,is next turned into an upright position, as in Fig. 3, by any suitable instrument or machine and left with its inner face as preferably straight and' vertical and forming an open corner at itsas in Fig. 3, a portion of the solo outside the turned channel-flap or lip is thicker than that portion of the sole at and near the bottom of the channel. This is undesirable because it would prevent a curved needle of the usual weltei from penetrating said lip close to the bottoni of the channel. To obviate this, and also tol strengthen and solidify the sole at and near the base of the lip I consolidate and reduce the thickness of said outer or marginal portion of the sole near the base of the lip by compression, hammering or the like, preferably to the outline indicated in Fig. 4. lliis reducing or consolidating action is preferably such as to cause the material to'flow toward the lip and into and to thicken and strengthen the saine so that when completed the outer marginal portion of the sole, outside the vupturned lip, compressed and solidified as greatly to strengthen the sole at the base of the `lip where it is required to receive and sustain the inseam stitches., as compared with the of the sole, around that is so consolidated,4

.known'duck used in shoe manufacture. reinforcing material preferably is' died' out,

holding quality of the sole if ofthe .texture or compositionof the sole as a Whole.

Another and highly important advantage obtained by compressingand consolidating this marginal portion of the sole is that the` stability of the s ole outsidethe lip and its ability to hold its shape after the shoe has been made and put into use is greatly increased," thereby making the sole more suit- 'y able and attractive for commercial use. The sole is n oW reinforced by al plying thereto a reinforcing material 5 (see 1g. 5) preferably a sheet of a textile material, such as the Well- This previously to the shape ofthe channel, with sufficient mar in to be u turned to cover the inner face of t e lip. Tr 's reinforcing material, or the surface to which it is to be applied, or both, is or are suitably cemented or prepared With adhesive and is then laid in position covering-the Whole or such part as is desired of the channel surface of the insole, said reinforcing material being carried vas indicated in F ig. 5 closely and smoothly down into the bottom of the channel, thence l upward, on and secured to the inner face of theupturnedlip.` The bottom of thechannel,

after ithas been reinforced as in Fig. 5, Will;

preferably be at about the same level as the consolidated sole margin 6 at the base of the lip, so that a curved needle entering the 'lip from the outer side thereof and near the base will emerge inthe channel-close to the bot-- tom thereof, thus insuring a free passage of the needle .With a maximum of supportvfor the stitch furnished by the reinforced lip. This vreinforcin material may be Worked into place final y by the hands of theopera- .tive,. or it may beA applied by machinery -or applied by hand and finished, rolled or other- Wise finally positioned by the aid of machinery.

While it isv possible to die out the reinforced blanks With suiiicient accuracy to,

enable them to be positioned Without leaving any ragged oruneven projections above thelip or any part thereof it is, however, sometimes convenient 'to use, reinforced blanks that are not accurately died or critto-v shape, in which event there would likely be more or less of the reinforcing material lefting or rolling of the reinforcing material into the channel and upon the inner face of the lip thereof.

The sole here lillustrated'presents many features of advantage. It requires less reinforcing material than Where such material is carried over A'or beaded about the upturned lip and carried down to or out upon the projecting marginal portion of the sole. The inseam may be carried closer to'thebottom of the channel than 'With many of the commercial reinforced soles, because the outer marginal portion of the soleis` not above the level o the'bottoni of -thechanneh hence does not keep the needle of the inseam- I ing machine from reaching tothe bottom of VVsaid channel. The consolidation or hardening of the outer marginal portion of the sole strengthens` the same against` any deforma-- tion or change of shape duringthe process of manufacti-ire or after the lsole is putinto use, Which is very desirable because it preserves the comfort ofthe shoe, the shape thereof 7 and prevents any'objectionable bunches lor inequalities on the foot supporting surface of the insole. By the solidi or hardening of the material in of the base of the lip an eect is obtained which is tantamount to improving thequality ofthe insole at orv alon'gthe point or line Where it is called upon to perform its principal Work, namely, that of fresistingthe stitch forming operation and holding the stitches of the inseam .While the shoe is in use, thus providing a better and more durable shoe with a given quality or grade of insole stockl These and other advantages will be readily apparent to those skilled inthe art and Whov make a study of an insole made in accordancev with my invention.

While it has been found convenient and preferable' to ractice the invention in the manner herei ustrated, nevertheless this inying, compressing the vicinity vention obviously is not limited to the parf ticular embodiment here shown and described.

Having described one embodiment of this invention and Without limiting myself in the matter of details, what l claim anddesire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. The described insole for boots andshoes having a channel, a lip upturned fr on'i said channel, a marginal consolidated portion outside-said lip, and reinforcing material secured to the sole .inside the channel lip. i

2. The described insole for boots and shoes, the same comprising a chaimel having Aan upturned lip, a marginal beveled portion outside said lip, a consolidated portion between the beveled portion and said li and provided Within terial. l

3. The described reinforced insole for boots and shoes, comprising a channelv having an said lip )Vith reinforcing maupturned lip,-reinforcing material applied to L having e eonsolidnteii face substantially in the channel With-in said lip, sind an outer ninrthe pinne of the reinforced bottoni of the ginal portion consolidated substantially to ehnnnel. the level of the bottom of the reinforced i ln testimon)T whereof' l have signed in v 5 channel. i naine to this specification inthe presence oi' '7..3

4. The described reinforced insole, protwosubsoribing witnesses.

vided with a channel having an upturnedyl NICHOLAS (I. BOER.. channel lip, a reinforcing fabric applied to i Witnesses:

the sole and extended within the channel, ROBERT H. KAMMLER,

10 and a marginal sole portion outside said lip i CHARLES M'. llnxwRicNon. 

